Njira Quarterly Report

Agency for International Development (USAID) and Project Concern International (PCI) to improve food security among vulnerable households in Malawi. The project focuses on two districts, Balaka and Machinga, and aims to increase income from agricultural and non-agricultural activities, improve health and nutrition of pregnant and lactating women and children under five, and enhance capacity to prepare for, manage, and respond to shocks. The project has three main purposes: Purpose 1, which seeks to increase income from agricultural and non-agricultural activities, has two sub-purposes: Sub-Purpose 1.1, which aims to increase sustainable nutrition-friendly and market-oriented agriculture production, and Sub-Purpose 1.2, which aims to increase agricultural and non-agricultural sales. Purpose 2 focuses on improving health and nutrition of pregnant and lactating women and children under five, with three sub-purposes: Sub-Purpose 2.1, which aims to improve nutrition and health practices; Sub-Purpose 2.2, which aims to increase utilization of reproductive, maternal, new-born, and child health prevention and treatment services; and Sub-Purpose 2.3, which aims to increase utilization of hygiene, sanitation, and water facilities. Purpose 3 aims to improve capacity to prepare for, manage, and respond to shocks, with three sub-purposes: Sub-Purpose 3.1, which aims to improve community and household assets for disaster mitigation; Sub-Purpose 3.2, which aims to improve institutional support of Disaster Risk Management (DRM) structures at all levels; and Sub-Purpose 3.3, which aims to enhance community empowerment in managing disasters. The project has eight program elements, each with a specific target beneficiary group. Program Element 1 focuses on agricultural sector capacity, with 36,929 beneficiaries. Program Element 2 focuses on maternal and child health, with 103,165 beneficiaries. Program Element 3 focuses on family planning and reproductive health, with 50,701 beneficiaries. Program Element 4 focuses on water supply and sanitation, with 51,497 beneficiaries. Program Element 5 focuses on nutrition, with 240,225 beneficiaries. Program Element 6 focuses on capacity building, preparedness, and planning, with 27,125 beneficiaries. Program Element 7 focuses on social assistance, with 9,310 beneficiaries. Program Element 8 focuses on natural resources and biodiversity, with 32,542 beneficiaries. PCI has overall responsibility for program management, technical leadership, and implementation, financial and regulatory oversight, project monitoring and evaluation, coordination with partner organizations, and reporting to and liaising with USAID. Emmanuel International leads implementation of all activities in Machinga, while Agricane is responsible for developing and implementing conservation agriculture and irrigation interventions and providing technical support for agricultural activities. The Njira project has shown accelerated progress across all project components during this reporting period, with strong collaboration between Njira and government counterparts. The project activities are carried out in close partnership with national and/or district-level government bodies, including the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development; Ministry of Health and District Health Offices; and the Departments of Forestry, Animal Health and Livestock Development, and Disaster Management Affairs. The Njira Steering Committee, consisting of PCI, Emmanuel International, and Agricane, met for its quarterly meeting in March 2016.